Brussels public transport has never carried so many passengers

2019 was a bumper year for the Brussels local transport company MIVB/STIB. Passenger numbers were up by 4%. The carrier conveyed passengers on 434 million journeys on its trams and buses and on the metro.

Colin Clapson

Wed 15 Jan 09:33

In all an extra 16 million trips were made on the MIVB last year. It’s a new record for the company. The metro is the most successful form of public transport conveying passengers on 38% of trips. Trams took a 36% share, while for buses the figure was 26%.

The company is always keen to modify its network to take account of the current needs of its customers. More services are being run during low peak. The company has also taken hybrid and electric vehicles into service. New lines and connections are part of the MIVB’s new bus plan. Changes include the new tram line 8 (replacing tram 94) that also serves the route between the Tram Museum and Roodebeek as well as tram 9 operating between Simonis and the UZ Brussels hospital.

The company has been growing for some time now. In 2009 the MIVB only carried passengers on 290 million trips. Over the past decades the number of journeys nearly doubled.